Grader



E. c. GLI-:DHILL Mar. 3, 1925.

GRADER 5 Sheets-Sheet l Mar. 3, 1925. 1,528,325

E. c. GLEDHILL GRADER Filed Aug. 28, 1925 45 sheets-sheet 2 5 36 Mar. 3, 1925.

E. C. GLEDHILL GRADER 5 sheets-smet s Filed Aug. 28, 1925 E. 6. Glefhzlll 51H0: up

Mar. 3, 1925. 1,528,325

E. C. GLEDHILL GRADER Filed Aug. 28. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 E. C. GLEDHILL Mar. 3, 1925.

GRADER Filed Aug. 28, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 mom.

mm THB Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

UNITED STATES EDWARD C. GLEDHILL, OF -GALION,l OHIO.

GRADER.

Application filed August 28, 1923. Serial No. 659,763.

To all |whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD C. GLEDHILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Galion, in the county of Crawford and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Graders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to road graders and objects of the inventio-n are to provide improved means for raising and lowering the blade, for shifting thel blade to one side, and

for reversi/ng the blade or bringing it into any desired angular position. These several stated objects, and other objects which will appear incidentally in the course of the following description, are attained in such an .apparatus as is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and the invention resides in certain novel features which will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims. A *Y In the accompanying drawings:V Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, of aroad grader constructed in accordance with my'present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse lsection on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l; l

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view showing the construction of one of the lifting arms; v

Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the fifth wheel employed in the front truck;

Fig. 6 is a section thereof on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of one of the spindles carrying the front wheels of the truck;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section taken longitudinally through a portion of the gearing whereby the position of the blade is controlled;

v the machine, and a radial forwardly pro-- Fig. 9 is an enlarged section through one of the wheels; I

Fig. .l0 is a. plan View, partly' broken away and in section, of the tongue or draft pole.

Fig. 11 i'sa plan View of the entire machine. The mainframe of the machine comprises frame bars l which are preferably of I-beam construction and vhave their front ends connected by a cross beam 2 and supported by the 'fifth wheel 3 "of the front truck. This fifth wheel is an open circular frame .having a diametrical bracing bar 4, which is normally disposed transversely of jecting bracing bar 5 which connects the bar 4 with the circular rim or body of the fifth wheel at the front of saidbar 4. On the front side of the fifth wheel, alined with the said bracing bar 5, is a socket or arm 6 to which the rear end of the draft pole 7 is secured. The draft pole or tongue consists of two inverted U-shaped members which taper toward their forward ends, the forward member 8 being adapted to be housed within the rear member 9 and be secured thereto whether in its retracted or projected posltion by suitable Ivbolts passed through openings 10 provided therefor in the respective sections. A reinforcingband 11 is secured to the front end of the rear section externally thereof by welding or'other preferred means, and a similar band 12 is secured in a similar manner around the front end of the forward section. The forward section is also provided internally near its rear end with a similar band 13. When the machine is to be drawn by draft animals, the tongue or pole is extended, as shown in Fig. 10, and whiiiietrees and neck yokes will be mounted thereon in theV usual manner. The tongue will be strong enough to resist all the strains to which it is subjected in use and -at the same time will be light so that no excessive strain -is imposed upon the draft animals. If the Bassum to which are secured the upper ends of standards 15 which have their lower ends secured upon the upper side of the front axle 16. To the under side of the axle 16, I secure brackets 17 having outwardly projecting vertically spaced lugs or ears 18 between which are received the hubs 19 of the spindles 20 upon which the front wheels 21 are mounted. Projecting rearwardly from the hubs 19 are spindle arms 22, and the spindle arms at the two sides of the machine are connected by a rod or link 23 whereby equal and simultaneous movement will be imparted to the said arms if either one be actuated. A pivot bolt 24 is inserted vertically through the lugs or projections 18 and the hubs 19 fitted therebetween Awhereby the hubs and the spindles will be permitted to move pivotally relative to the brackets 17, as will be readily understood. Braces 25 extend between and are secured to the draft pole or tongue and the axle so as to brace the same and insure a quick response of the axle to lateral movement of the tongue in steering the machine.

Secured upon the axle is a gear casing 26 and journaled in the top and bottom of this gear casing is'a vertical shaft 27 provided within the casing with a worm 28. A worm shaft 29 is also journaled in the front and rear walls of this casing at one side of the shaft 27 and carries a. worm gear 30 meshing with the worm 28, as shown clearly'in Fig. 2. One end of the shaft 29 projects through the adjacent end wall of the gear casing and is equipped with a crank 31 to the lower end of which is nivoted a link 32 having its outer endpivoted to the end of one spindle arm 22. The pivotal connec tions between the link 32 and the parts to which it is attached are preferably in the form of ball and socket joints so that there will be no binding of the parts in operation and the parts will move relatively to each other freely and easily. To the upper end of the vertical shaft 27 I secure one end of a fiexible coupling 33 which connects the said shaft with an operating shaft 34 extending rearwardly over the main frame and equipped at its rear end with a hand wheel 35 which may be easily reached by an operator upon the rear platform. The shaft 34 is supported in suitable brackets 35 disposed at convenient points upon the main frame so that bending of the shaft will be avoided and it will be maintained in an operative condition at all times. The turntable is provided centrally with a hub or hollow post 36 through which the shaft 27 extends and which, in turn, extends throu h the front cross bar 2 of the main frame, t e turntable being thereby caused to support the front end of the main frame and at the same time being capable ofpivotal movemen-t with respect thereto. Inasmuch as the shaft'27 is concentric with the hub 36, the pivotal turningmovement ofthe fifth wheel or turntable will carry the gear vcasing 26 around the shaft 27 as a center without disturbing the relation between the worm 28 and the worm gear 30. If it be desired to carry the machine around a corner or to reverse its travel, the front truck is permitted to turn in the usual manner so that the .course of the machine will be changed. If, however, it be found advantageous to permit the tractor or the draft animals to travel at one side of the path of the machine, the tongue or draft pole is disposed in the pro er angular relation to the main .frame an the axle will, of course, turn correspondingly and remain at a right angle to the tongue. The operator upon the rear platform will, by roperly turning the hand wheel 35, rotate tiie shaft 34 and the shaft 27 so that the crank 31 will be rocked, through the described gearing, and the rocking movement of the crank will be'transmitted through the link 32 to the attached spindle arm 22 and the connecting rod 23y disposed in advance of the blade instead of beingv brought closerJ to the forward end of the blade, as is now the general condition, and the tendency of the machine to move sidewise or skid will thus be counteracted and overcome. The operator is thus enabled to keep the machine in the desired path more easily than is possible with any other machines now known to me.

The rear ends of the main frame bars 1 are supported by the rear axle 37 and a lower retainin frame'38 is secured to the under side of t e frame bars so that relative vertical movement of the frame and the axle is prevented. Ground wheels 39 are mounted upon the ends of the rear axle and upon the rear side of the said'axle is formed a rack bar 40 with which meshes a pinion 41 secured upon the lower end of a vertical shaft 42 which is journaled in a suitable bearing on the main frame and is maintained in an upright position against binding by a bracket 43 secured on the upper side of the frame. A roller 44 is mounted upon the main frame and bears against the front side of the rear axle 37 so that the engagement between the pinion 41 and the rack bar 40 will be maintained. A latch 45 is mounted upon the frame in rear of the pinion 41 and normally engages said pinion so that it will be locked against rotation and the frame, consequently, heldin any position'relative to the axle in which it may be set. Near its upper end, the shaft 42 is provided with one or more pins 46 and a sleeve 47 depends from the seat 48 to fit over the upper end of the said shaft, the lower end of said sleeve or socket being provided with notches 49 adapted to engage the pins 46 and thereby prevent relative rotation of the sleeve and the seat. A handle 50 of any convenient or preferred form is provided at the back of the seat 48 so that with the parts arranged as shown in Fig. 1, the shaft 42 may be rotated bg properly manipulating the said handle. otation of the shaft 42 will, ofcourse, cause the pinion 41-to ride longitudinally of the rack 40 and the rear end of the main frame will, consequently, be shifted laterally upon the axle so that the rear wheels and the main frame may be set in any desired relation as the work may demand. It will, of course, be understood that, prior to rotation of the shaft 42, thelatch 45 4is released and, when the main frame has been shifted sidewise to the desired extent, the latch is permitted to again engage the pinion so as to hold the parts in the position in which they are set. Should the rotation of the shaft 42 be arrested with the seat 48 facing backwardly or to one side, the seat is merely lifted so that the sleeve or socket 47 will clear the pins 46, after which it is turned so as to face forwardly and then lowered to again engage the said pins 46. I thus provide in one structure a seat for the operator and also a means for adjusting the main frame laterally. A seat 51 for the driver may be mounted upon the main frame at any convenient pointl thereof near the front end of the same.

The rear axle 37 is provided vat both ends with spindles or bearing portions 52 of circular cross section and the hubs 53 of the reanwheels/are engaged over the said spindles, anti-friction rollers 54 being preferably fittedbetween the spindles and the inter circumferences of the hubs, as will be readily understood. Oil guides or openings 55 may be provided in the hubs as is obvious so that lubricant may be supplied to the roller bearings and free rotation of the wheels obtained. A retaining nut 56 is secured tothe outer end of the spindle 52 and extends over the outer end of the hub so as to close the same and retain the rollers therein. Adjacent its outer end, the hub is provided with an annular flange 57 having its outer face rabbeted, as shown at 58, and the inner circular edge of a disk 59 seats in the said rabbeted portion, as clearly shown in Fig. 9. This disk is a metal plate provided at its outer edge with an annular flange 60 which is rigidly secured to the-rim or tread 61 of the wheel and the intermediate portion 62 of the disk or plate is so disposed as to be Hush with the outer edge of the rim or tread,.as clearly shown in Fig. 9. Aliub cap 63 is arranged over the retaining nut 56 and has its edge portion turned outwardly to bear against the outer face of the disk 62 at the inner edge thereof. as shown at v64, while securing bolts 65 are inserted through the hub ange 57, the inner edge portion of the disk and the outer edge portion 64 of the hub cap to secure all the parts together; The front wheels 21 are of the same construction as that just described and specifically stated to be embodied in the rear wheels and this construction is advantageous in machines of this class. When a road grader is at work, the

'which wheels on one side are running in the ditch or gutter side of the road, while the wheels I at. the opposite side of themachine are running in a higher plane or on the crown of Y the road. )bviously, a greater strainor weight is imposed upon the lower wheels, and with the usual construction of wheels embodying a plurality of separated spokes, the wheels are forced against the bank of the ditch or gutter so that the edge of the rim or tire cuts into the bank and the spokes stead of such action, the wheel has a troweling effect so that the wall of the ditch is made Hrm and smooth.

The drawbars 66 of the machine are dis posed below the main frame bars l and are provided at their. front ends with an eye 67 engaged in a hook or eye 68 carried by the cross bar 2 of the main frame, the said drawbars being thus swiveled to the main frame so that they may be shifted sidewise or raised and lowered readily as may be necessary. A bracket 68 is secured to and def pends from the drawbars 66 at an intermediate point of the length thereof, and this bracket may be of any preferred form will provide an open support and guide for the semi-circular front ends '69 of the beams 70 which carry the blade 71. The blade 71 isI of the usual dished formation and it may be connected with the beams'70 in any desired manner. I have illustrated the blade as having a link or pivotal connection 72 between its lower edge portion and the lower ends of the beams 470, while between the said beams and the upper portion of the blade an adjustable connecting bar 73 extends. This arrangement permits the blade to be set so that its upper portion will overhang its lower cuting edge portion if so desired or to be withdrawn so that the dirt loosened and raised by the lower edge of the blade may ride up the same and escape over the top edge of the same. If the upper edge be set to overhang the lower edge, the loose dirt will be turned' back onto the surface of theroad and will be worked into the hollow portions of the same so that a smooth surface will be formed by thetravel of the machine. The semi-circle 69 is provided with a plurality of openings, indicated at 74, and a latch 75 is mounted upon the bracket 68 to engage in one of said openings and thereby'hold the semi-circle in a set position, the angular position of the blade relative to the line of draft being determined by the position in which the semicircle is set. The latch 7 5 may be of any preferred construction and may be operated in any desired manner, and I have indicated a cable 76 attached to the latch and extending upwardly therefrom to the main frame and then rearwardly on the main frame to the rear of the machine so that it may be manipulated by an operator upon the rear platform or in the seat 48. This arrangement is very convenient but it may be varied in detail as may be preferred. A cross bar 77 is secured rigidly to the beams 70 and l bridges the same and upon this cross bar I form or rigidly secure a horizontally disposed beveled gear wheel 78, the hub 79 of the Wheel extending upwardly through a -suitable bearing carried by the drawbars 66.

Secured to the front side of the said bearing, indicated at 80,` is a guide bracket 81 in which is mounted the front section 82 of a flexible shaft, the rear section of which, 83, is journaled at its rear end in a bearing 84 upon the inain frame and is equipped with a hand wheel 85. Upon the front end of the shaft section 82 is a pinion 86 which meshes with the gear wheel 78, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. It will be readily understood that, by properly rotating the hand wheel 85, the flexible shaft will be rotated and the pinion 86 will transmit the rotation to the gear 78 so that said gear will rotate in a horizontal plane about its hub 79, and inasmuch as the gear is rigid with the bar 77 and the beams 70, the entire blade-supporting structure will be turned about the same center and the blade thus brought into any desired angular position. When the proper position of the blade has been attained, the latch will be released and will re-engage the semi-circle 69 so as to lock the parts in the set position. lit will, of course, be readily understood that by continuing this turning movement of the flexible or sectional shaft and the gear 7 8 for the proper period of time, the blade may be reversed so that it will be set to turn the dirt to the side opposite that to which it had been turning the dirt.

A gear casing 87 is fitted about the shaft section 83, and a worm gear 88 is loosely mounted upon the shaft within said gear casing, the hub of the said worm gear being projected through the front side of the gear casing and secured toa crank 89 which has its lower end connected to a link bar 90, the outer end of the said link bar being attached to a cross bar 91 which is carried by the rear ends of the drawbars 66. The said link bar 90 is shown in detail in Fig. 4, and it will be noted that it is of a cruciform cross section so that it possesses great strength with minimum weight and its ends are so constructed that they constitute sockets to engage with balls provided on the cross bar 91 and at the end. of the crank 89 res ectively so that there will be no binding of) any of the parts when they are to operate. A worm 92 is in constant mesh with the worm gear 88, and this worm is disposed within an offset portion of the gear case 87 and is fixed to the lower end of a shaft 93 which is journaled in the offset portion of the gear case and rises therefrom to pass into another gear case 94 fitted about the steering rod 34 and Supported by a bracket 95 secured to and rising from cross bars 96 extending between the bearing brackets 97 secured upon the main frame bars 1 and reinforced centrally by arched brackets 98 secured to and rising from bridge pieces 99 secured to and extending between the main frame bars. Within the `gear case 94, a beveled gear 100 is secured imparted through the described train of gearing and co-operating elements to rock the crank 89 so that endwise movement will be imparted to the link bar 90 and a sidewise shifting of the blade-supporting structure willresult. It will be readily understood that the link bar 90 acts directly upon the cross bar 91 and, as this bar is secured rigidly to the drawbars 66 and the bladecarrying structure is connected with the said drawbars, the entire blade and the frame carryingfit will be shifted sidewise relative to the main frame and the `blade thus brought into the desired path.

Mounted in each bearing 97 and in a bearing provided therefor upon a standard 104 secured to and rising from the proper main frame bar isa rock shaft 105. each of said shafts having its front end formed into a crank 106 which is normally arranged to extend laterally, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. A. link bar 107 .is provided at each side of the machine to connect the outer free end of the respective crank 106 with the subjacent end of the cross bar 91, and these links 107 are of the same construction as the link bar 90 and the link 32. It will be readily understood that, lif either shaft 105 be rocked, the corresponding link bar 107 will be caused to move upwardly or downwardly and will, therefore, raise or lower the end of the bar 91 to which it is attached so that the blade and the bladecarrying structure will be tilted and thereby set to the pitch desired for the finished road. The rear ,end of each shaft 105 is extended into a gear case 108 supported on the adjacent standard 104 and mounted loosely on Y:so

the shaft within said gear case is a worm gear wheel109 which meshes (with a worm 110 mounted in the lower vportion of the gear case and carried by a shaft 111 which is disposed transversely of the machine, a hand wheel 112 being secured upon the end of the said shaft, as will be readily understood. The hub 113 of the worm gear 109'is constructed with a clutch face 114 at its rear end, and a retaining ring 115 is tted to the shaft 105 at the rear end of the hub so as to prevent movement of the hub and the gear longitudinally of the Shaft. A clutch sleeve 116 is slidably mounted upon the shaft 105 but is constrained to rotate therewith and is constructed with a. clutch face 117 at its front end mating and adapted to engage with the clutch'face 114 on the hub 113. A collar or abutment 118 is secured upon the en d of the shaft 105 within the gearl case, and a lspring 119 is coiled about the shaft between the clutch sleeve and the said abutment or collar and tends constantly to expand and, by its expansion, hold the clutch sleeve in engagement with the clutch hub. The clutch sleeve is provided between its ends with an annular groove 120 which is engaged by the ends of apfork 121 carried by a rocking pivot or shaft 122, and upon the outer end of the said' rocking pivot or shaft is secured a short crank 123. The crank 123 projects rearwardly from the gear case, and a link 124: is pivoted at its upper end to the free end of said crank, the lower end of the link being pivoted to a similar crank 125 on a pedal shaft 126 mounted in suitabley bearings upon the main frame and equipped with a pedal 127 which may be operated by the foot of the operator in the seat 48. If

Athe pedal 127 be released, the spring 119 will expand andthe clutch 116 will be thereby thrown into engagement with thev clutch hub 113 so that the worm gear 109 will be locked to the shaft 105. If the hand wheel 112 be then rotated, the motion will be imparted through the described gearing to the shaft 105 and the crank 106 may be caused toswing upwardly so as to exert a lifting force through the lifting link bar 107 and thereby raise the blade. By depressing one of the pedals, the clutch will be withdrawn.

from the clutch hub and no rotation will be imparted to the shaft 105 by the worm gearing but 'said shaft will be free to rock in the opposite direction under the influence of the weight of the blade and the structure carrying the same so, that one end of the blade may be permitted to drop at the same time that the other end thereof is. being raised or held stationary. It will be readily understood that the worm` gearing at the two sides rof the machine are opposed so that the rock shafts actuated by them will turn in opposite directions. If, therefore,"

both clutches be engaged and the hand wheels 112 rotated inthe properdirection,

lthe blade may be lifted clear of the road so that the machine may be driven to another point of use and will remaininoperative during transit, the clutches in'conjunction with the worm gearing acting as brakes to prevent the reverse rotation of the shafts 105 and the consequent lowering of .the blade. I

If 'the clutches. on 'bothY shafts 105 are 'thrown out and the shaft 102 be rotated so of course, readily understood that the crank 89 swings upwardly as well vas laterally so that, while the initial portion of the movement `transmitted to the'blade andthe drawbars will be a horizontal movement, as the crank 89 rises and continues to swing upwardly a lifting force will be applied through the link 90 so that, if the crank 89 be swung around to an upright position above theshaft 83, the blade will be caused to assume a position approaching closely to the -vertical at the side of the frame `and thelmachine may then be run along close to the side of the road so that a terrace or bank which may exist close to the road will have its surface reduced to a smooth condition veryv rapidly and easily.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with 4the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have provided a road grader of simple and inexpensive construction which may be very easily set to operate at anyvdesired depth or angle and which will be very strong and durable and highly efficient in use.

tllaving thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: v

1. In a road grader, the combination of a main frame, drawbars -connected at their front ends with the main frame for free movement relative thereto, beams disposed below and supported by the drawbars, a blade carried by said beams, a gear fixed to the beams and journaled in a bearin upon the drawbars, a flexible shaft dispose longitudinally of the main frame and carried by the frame and by the drawbars, means at the rear end of said shaft for rotating the same, a pinion on the front end of said shaft l meshing with said gear whereby to effect pivotal turning movement Qfthe beams and the blade, and means controlled from the rear end of the main frame for locking the said beams in a set position.

2. Ina road grader, the combination of a main frame, drawbars 'connected at their front ends with the main frame for free relative movement, a blade carried by the drawbars, rock shafts mounted on the' frame at the sides thereof, connections between said rock shafts and the drawbarswhereby to raise or lower the blade, a shaft mounted upon the main frame transversely thereto adjacent the rear ends of said rock shafts, operative connections between sald transverse shafts and the rock shafts including gears loose on the respective rock shafts, clutch members mounted upon the rock shafts and Aadapted to lock said gears thereto, means for normally holding the clutches in engagement with the gears, and means for releasing the clutches from the respective `gears at will.

3. The combination of a main frame, drawbars supported at their front ends upon the main frame for free movement, a blade carried by the rear ends of the drawbars, means on the sides of the main frame to support the drawbars forswinging movement whereby to effect vertical adjustment of either end of the blade, a crank mounted on the main frame between the sides of the same for swinging movement in a vertical plane, a link connecting said crank with the drawbars, and means for actuatin Asaid crank whereby to set the blade in a su stan# tially upright position at the side of the frame.` t

4. The combination of I a ain frame, drawbars supported at their'` frnt ends upon the main frame for free movement,`a blade carried by the rear ends of the drawbars, means on the sides of the mainframe to support the drawbars for swinging movement whereby to effect vertical adjustment of either end of the blade, a shaft mounted on the bottom of the main frame, a crank on said shaft arranged for movement in a transverse vertical plane of the main frame,

a shaft geared to the first-mentioned shaft and rising through the main frame, and means on the top of the main frame for rotating said second shaft.

5. The combination of a main frame, drawbars supported at their front ends upon the main frame for free movement, a blade carried by the rear ends of the drawbars, means on the sides of the main frame to support. the drawbars for swinging movement whereby to effect vertical adjustment of either end of the blade, a shaft mounted on the bottom of the main frame, a crank on said shaft arranged for movement in a transverse vertical plane of the main frame, a worm gear `on said shaft, a worm meshing with said worm gear, a shaft carryingsaid worm and rising through the main frame, and gearing mounted on the top of the main frame for rotating the last-mentioned shaft.

G. The combination of a main frame, drawbars supported at their front ends upon the main frame for free movement, a blade carried by the rear ends of the drawbars, longitudinallyv extending rock shafts mounted directly on the main frame at the sides of the same, cranks on said shafts adapted to swing below the main. frame, links conneeting said cranks with the drawbars, a longitudinally extending rock shaft mounted on the main frame below the first-mentioned rock shafts and between fthe vertical planes of the same, a crank on said lower rock shaft arranged to swing in a transverse vertical plane of the main frame, a link connecting the last-mentioned crank with the drawbars at a point between 4the points of connection with the first-mentioned links, and means for setting the several rock shafts. Y

In testimony whereof I ali-ix my signature.

EDWARD o. GLEDHILL. [L Sg 

